49ers roster 2023: Alfredo Gutierrez likely won't play but still has a role

As part of the NFL's International Player Pathway program, 49ers offensive lineman Alfredo Gutierrez won't count against the 90-man offseason roster.

In 2021, the San Francisco 49ers and the rest of the NFC West were invited to partake in the NFL's International Player Pathway program, which is intended to further grow the game on an international level.

The Niners landed offensive lineman Alfredo Gutierrez, who hailed from Tijuana, Mexico, but who also played high school football north of the border in San Diego before playing his college ball at Monterrey Institute of Technology.

Players who end up joining pro teams via the IPPP won't actually count against a 90-man offseason roster, and they also come with an exemption for an extra spot on the practice squad, too, provided that player isn't promoted to the active 53-man roster during the regular season.

For Gutierrez, that was the case his rookie season. The 6-foot-9, 332-pound lineman landed on the practice squad and stayed there for all of 2021 without much else being said about him.

While he didn't get onto the field for a regular-season game in 2022, at least he managed to land a couple of notable highlights.

49ers OL Alfredo Gutierrez made his NFL preseason debut last year

Gutierrez helps round out the depth chart during training camp and in practices, yes, but he didn't see any action whatsoever his rookie year.

While it didn't count in the grand scheme of things, Gutierrez did manage to get on the field during San Francisco's third and final preseason game of 2022 against the Minnesota Vikings, and his presence was entertaining to say the least (look for No. 77):

Perhaps the hefty O-lineman winds up seeing a bit more preseason action his third year in the league.

Alfredo Gutierrez was an excellent ambassador for 49ers in Mexico City

The 49ers traveled to Gutierrez's home country of Mexico last season, taking on the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football in Week 11 and coming away with a dominant 38-10 victory.

Gutierrez, who wasn't even active for gameday, was nevertheless heavily involved in the publicity from the Niners for the game itself, and he discussed as much via the team's social media feed:

It was a pretty cool moment even if Gutierrez wasn't dressed for the game.

What will 49ers do with Alfredo Gutierrez in 2023?

San Francisco signed Gutierrez to a reserve/future contract last January, and according to Over the Cap, he'll make up to $750,000 if he winds up landing a spot on the team's 53-man roster.

Don't expect that to happen, though.

Read more: How much do NFL practice squad players make?

Instead, perhaps after seeing a few more snaps in the preseason, Gutierrez will revert back to being a practice squad player where he'll spend the entirety of the 2023 campaign, assisting in practices and working with the scout team.

Too bad the 49ers won't be playing in Mexico this year, as that was probably one of the bigger highlights of his NFL career thus far.

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